Spain draws up €2bn rolling stock investment plan

ACCORDING to Spanish press reports, Spain’s Ministry of Development and national train operator Renfe are finalising plans for a €2bn rolling stock investment plan covering the period 2017-2028. The total investment could be much higher if Renfe includes maintenance in the contracts it awards.

The plan is expected to be finalised in March and will focus on the acquisition of commuter and regional trains, Cinco Días reports, while El Diario quotes the minister of public works, Mr Iñigo de la Serna, as saying that €1.5bn will invested this year and in 2019.

However, the plan could also include the purchase of additional high-speed trains as the high-speed network is continuing to expand both in size and traffic volume. Renfe may also purchase between 34 and 45 freight locomotives between 2020 and 2023.

On January 24, Serna announced that Renfe plans to acquire 150 trains for Madrid commuter services. A few days earlier, Serna agreed with the president of the Valencia government, Mr Ximo Puig, to acquire 52 trains worth €350m as part of a €1.4bn project to improve suburban services in Valencia. In December 2017, Cantabria announced plans to invest €133m in new trains.

According to Cinco Días, there are plans to invest €4bn in infrastructure and rolling stock to upgrade the Barcelona commuter rail network while in Asturias €500m is to be invested in the metre-gauge commuter network including€45m for rolling stock.